One month into my new role and I’m acutely aware of the reasons why so far my conversations with industry figures have been around the weather, and it’s not just because we’re British.
The temperamental conditions mean that, as pop songstress Katy Perry knows, one day it’s hot, the next it’s cold and this inconsistency is playing havoc with an industry that needs proper seasons.
I’m not breaking news when I write that this inevitably means producers trying to adjust to the changes are incurring huge expenses, at a time when margins are being squeezed across the board.
With the publication of a new report into the dire consequences of global warming on the food industry (see p4), one could easily feel despondent.
However, there is much to be hopeful about. Green technologies such as biogas, as discussed in the feature on p22, are getting more efficient and relatively cheaper to set up.
And a recent chat with a supermarket buyer gave cause for optimism when we discussed how growers and farmers are getting smarter with their use of inputs such as energy and water.
For the businesses that are grasping the issues today, it is definitely a case of: the future is bright, the future is green.
Samantha Lyster, Deputy Editor
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